03/25/13
Last Thursday, March 21st, two important
events were happening. Here in
Queens we were participating in an inspiring missionary conference with about
130 missionaries and in Utah our fifth grandson and fifteenth grandchild was
preparing to enter mortality. Will
Stanton Kauffman, son of Taylor and Kate, made his entry into the world at 9:19
PM in American Fork and weighted 9 lbs. 1 oz. and was 20 inches long. He came complete with hair! He also came with his first lesson to be learned and his first
official lesson to be taught. It
seems his first lesson in mortality was, “Do not do summersaults inside of my
mother’s womb to the point that the cord wraps around my neck and snaps during delivery. Because instead of being held in my
loving parents’ anticipating arms I will get whisked away to Utah Valley
Regional Hospital for a special ‘cooling treatment’ for 72 hours while my brain
and vitals are monitored.” That
was the lesson he learned and the lesson he taught was about faith. Will, without any advanced notice to
his parents, officially moved Taylor and Kate from being new “freshmen” parents
to “junior” parents. Of course they
knew they could not raise him without relying on God, but now they know just
how true this really is. Will has masterfully
taught that, “As long as we stay within the security and household of God no
trial is so large it cannot be overcome together . . . With faith come trails
of faith, bringing increased faith””(Elder Anderson, Oct. 2012). "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philppians 4:13).
This morning they brought Will out of the cooling treatment
and are in the process of removing wires and tubes so that he can be held,
learn to breast feed, and go home. Yeah!
The second event last Thursday was a special missionary
conference with two brethren from the missionary department of the Church. Stan took the day off to attend and I
helped prepare the luncheon and attended the workshops as best I could. I love how the emphasis, or
“Standard of Excellence”, in missionary work here is not on the number of
baptisms but on true conversions taking place. “Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty
we give to God in gratitude for the gift of testimony” (Elder Bednar, Oct. 2012).
When we are converted we strive to
use both the redemptive and enabling power of the Atonement to navigate through
mortality. Missionary work is about helping members
become converted as well as finding those who are ready to accept the restored
gospel of Jesus Christ into their lives. I need to make sure that I am working
on my own conversion and I need to make sure that I link everything I teach
back to the saving and enabling power of the Atonement and Heavenly Father’s
Plan of Happiness for us all.
Last week I had the thought that I should read the
conference talk assigned for the Relief Society and Priesthood lesson being
given yesterday. (“Trial of Your Faith” by Elder Neil L.
Andersen) At first I countered this thought with the thought that I had already
read and marked this talk and I should read one I had not read yet. Then I thought, “But the thought to
read it is a good thought, maybe it is a prompting and I should do it,” so I
did. On Saturday I was painting my half bath and I had the thought that I
should listen to the talk while I was painting, (another good thought) so I put
it on and listened while I painted.
Because it was such a good talk, and I thought Stan could use it in his
work, I suggested Saturday night that we read part (I was tired and
wanted to go to bed.) of the talk as our scripture time together. We ended up reading the whole talk. On Sunday, I noticed that Erica, the RS
teacher who would be teaching, was not in Sacrament Meeting or Sunday School. My counselor, Kristen, was conducting
RS opening exercises and wanted to know who would be teaching the lesson. It was at this point that I realized it
was probably going to be me. This was confirmed during opening exercises when I
pulled out my phone and realized I had a text message from Erica saying that
she was ill and asking if I could cover for her. I felt so blessed for Heavenly Father’s tender mercies with
me during the week and my heeding the promptings He gave me. Because of them, and because I have the
marking system I do when I read a conference talk, I was able to stand there
bear testimony of God’s tender mercies and strive to lead an inspired
discussion about trials, faith, and personal growth (conversion).
This morning I read the talk by Elder Gay, “What Shall a Man Give in Exchange for His
Soul?” from Oct. 2012 General Conference; another wonderful reminder that I
need to give up all my sins. It was really a talk about being converted and not
just having a testimony.
Although stretching and growing is not usually
enjoyable, as recently experienced with Taylor, Kate, and Will, I am grateful
for the gospel’s invitations, reminders, and encouragements to become better
than I currently am. I am grateful
for the eternal perspective of God’s plan of salvation that enables me to trust
His hand in the lives of those I love.
Truly, faith comforts and sustains us through the daily conversion
choices we all face.
